Turning Points in Religious Studies : Essays in Honour of Geoffrey Parrinder

"Religious Studies was first introduced as a new discipline in universities and colleges around the world in the 1960s. This discipline brought about a reorientation of the study of religion, created new perspectives and influenced all sectors of education. The essays presented in this volume provide a clear and comprehensive overview of the history of Religious Studies as an academic discipline, the turning points it faces and the directions it might take in the future. The work is organised in three sections. The first presents a succinct case study of the historical development of Religious Studies in Britain. The second considers the development of Religious Studies throughout the world in its major constituents, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, 'traditional' African religions, Christianity, Islam and new religious movements in Africa, the study of truth and dialogue in religion, science and the rediscovery of religious experience, mysticism. The third section looks to developments in Religious Studies, in particular at religion in relation to the arts, gender, information technology and to Religious Studies in a global perspective."--Bloomsbury Publishing. Cover Half-title Title Copyright Contents Foreword TRIBUTES TO PROFESSOR GEOFFREY PARRINDER A PERSONAL TRIBUTE TO AN OUTSTANDING CAREER SOME PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF A COLLEAGUE A PERSONAL TRIBUTE - AN UNFINISHED PIECE ESSAYS ON TURNING POINTS IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES GENERAL INTRODUCTION PART I: HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN BRITAIN 1. RELIGIOUS STUDIES IN THE UNIVERSITIES ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES THE OPEN UNIVERSITY BRITISH ACADEMIC JOURNALS IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES 2. RELIGIOUS STUDIES IN POLYTECHNICS AND COLLEGES OF HIGHER EDUCATION 3. RELIGIOUS STUDIES IN ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION 4. RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND DEVELOPMENTS IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN ENGLAND AND WALES 5. THE NEW EDUCATION REFORM ACT AND WORSHIP IN COUNTY SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND AND WALES 6. RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND INTERFAITH DEVELOPMENTS PART II: TURNING POINTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOME ACADEMIC SUBJECTS AND THEMES THE STUDY OF INDIAN RELIGIONS 7. HINDUISM 8. BUDDHISM 9. SIKHISM THE STUDY OF AFRICAN RELIGIONS 10. TRADITIONAL'AFRICAN RELIGIONS 11. AFRICAN NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS 12. CHRISTIANITY IN AFRICA 13. ISLAM IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA THE STUDY OF SIGNIFICANT THEMES 14. THE STUDY OF TRUTH AND DIALOGUE IN RELIGION 15. SCIENTISTS AND THE REDISCOVERY OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE 16. MYSTICISM PART III: POINTERS TO NEW DIRECTIONS 17. RELIGION AND THE ARTS 18. RELIGION AND GENDER 19. RELIGION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS: RELIGIOUS STUDIES IN GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE APPENDIX Bibliography of Geoffrey Parrinder's Publications Notes on Contributors Index